


Hearing The Call

by SharkGirl



Series: The Call [2]
Category: Free!
Genre: Blood, Blood Drinking, Heat-like Symptoms, M/M, Sea Creature AU, Sexual Tension, The Vampire/Merman AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 16:11:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6617335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin felt like he was floating. It was dark. Or maybe his eyes were closed. The coolness of the water was soothing against his once heated skin. The fever a mere memory now.  </p><p>He heard his name being called from above.  He looked up and saw Sousuke swimming toward him. He was smiling, but then his eyes widened and a flurry of red bubbles burst out from his mouth, dying the water around them.  Rin couldn’t see him anymore. He couldn’t see anything anymore.  Then he felt a painful itching in his chest. His lungs were burning.  He needed to breathe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hearing The Call

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a continuation of The Call, a fic I wrote back in February for the eighth and final day of SouRin Week. I just got the urge to continue it (and procrastinate on everything else!)
> 
> Please enjoy!

Rin felt like he was floating. It was dark. Or maybe his eyes were closed. But it felt nice.  Cool. Calming. Relaxing.  It felt like he was in the pool, submerged under the water, letting it take him where it would.  No. Not a pool.  The ocean.  The waves gently rocking him, even below the water’s surface.

The coolness of the water was soothing against his once heated skin. The fever a mere memory now.  In the back of his mind, he knew he should have been concerned with his inability to breathe.  But he was breathing just fine, even though he knew he was deep underwater.

He managed to open his eyes, or, at least, he thought he did.  He was surrounded by dark blue green water.  He looked up at saw the moon shining down on him, its perfectly round form distorted by the waves above.  It was haloed by the loveliest shade of cerulean.  A color that looked so familiar, but Rin couldn’t remember why.

There was sound behind him, muffled by the water. He turned and saw bubbles floating his way and a dark figure swimming toward him.  He should have been afraid, but he wasn’t.  The figure got closer and he could make out his features, familiar, but unfamiliar.  Like he’d seen them in a dream.

The person spoke to him, but he couldn’t understand what he said.  The words were of a strange tongue.  One he didn’t speak.  He tried to respond, to say that he didn’t know what the other was saying, but the words stuck in his throat.

As the person got closer, he saw that it wasn’t a person after all, but a merman.  No, that wasn’t right.  He was most definitely a man with a tail, but it wasn’t a fin, exactly.  It looked more like a shark’s tail.  The creature reached toward him and Rin could see the red of his eyes, glowing in the murky water.

Rin held his hand out toward the creature, feeling safe, like he should go with him.  But then there was a tiny sound above him.  It was so quiet, he was surprised he’d heard it at all.  He glanced up and saw a drop of blood floating down toward him.  It retained its teardrop shape even underwater.  It continued descending until it was right in front of Rin’s face.  He reached forward to touch it, but the moment he did, it dissolved, mixing with the dark water around him.

“Rin!”

He heard his name being called from above.  He looked up and saw Sousuke swimming toward him.  When had he dived in?  The taller man looked panicked.  Didn’t he see that Rin was fine?  Or maybe Sousuke was the one in danger.  A flurry of bubbles surrounded the brunet, obscuring him.

The creature spoke again, in that same strange tongue, and Rin turned back to face him.  He was closer now, but his face was blurry, only his crimson eyes stood out, glowing brighter than before.  He held a hand out toward Rin and the redhead reached for him.

“Rin! No!”

He took his hand back, cradling it against his chest as he looked up at Sousuke.  He was right above him, floating upside down and struggling against the force pushing him up.

“Rin!” Sousuke said, eyes pleading.  Those eyes were so pretty.  Like the halo of light around the moon.  “RIN!”

“Sou…” He reached up and cupped other’s cheek.  Sousuke stopped struggling and smiled.  But then his eyes widened and a flurry of red bubbles burst out from his mouth, dying the water around them.  Rin couldn’t see him anymore. He couldn’t see anything anymore.  Then he felt a painful itching in his chest.  His lungs were burning.  He needed to breathe.

“SOUSUKE!” Rin sat up in bed, desperately trying to drawn in air.  He held a hand to his naked chest as he fought the tears threatening to spill over.  Sousuke was dying.  He was trying to save Rin and he was dying.  But it was a dream.  He closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing.  It was just a dream.

When he opened his eyes again, Rin took in his surroundings.  He wasn’t in his dorm room.  He’d forgotten that he and Sousuke had gone home for the break.  He gasped when he noticed how messy his room was.  Clothes were strewn about, his desk chair was halfway across the room next to his upturned lamp.  Even his comforter and sheets were out of place, balled into what looked like a nest on the floor beside him. 

Rin was sitting on his naked mattress beneath the extra blanket from the hall closet.

He tried to remember what had happened the night before, but his memory was fuzzy.  He remembered coming home with Sousuke and climbing up the stairs to his room.  He’d been feverish and exhausted and all he’d wanted to do was sleep.

Rin couldn’t remember much else after that.  The only thing that came to mind was how thirsty he’d been.  He was so hot and thirsty.  He wasn’t hot anymore, but he _was_ thirsty.  He spotted a glass of water and some pills on his nightstand.  He quickly took them and downed the glass.

He was still thirsty.

“Mom?” He called.  When she didn’t answer he made to stand up, but his legs were tangled in the blanket.  When he removed them he blushed.  Why was he naked?  “Mom?” He tried again, starting to feel scared.  He’d trashed his room and stripped himself and had no memory of it. 

“Onii-san.” It was Gou that appeared, peeking through the crack in his door.  “Mom is working a turnaround today,” she said and then hesitated.  “May I…May I come in?”

“Um, sure.” Rin furrowed his brow.  Gou had never been afraid of bursting into his room before.  “Just a sec.”  He reached over the side of his bed for a pair of boxers and slipped them on.  He and his sister were close, but not ‘naked in the same room’ close. “Okay.”

Gou stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Better. Just thirsty,” he said, eyeing the empty water glass.  “Would you mind-”

“Sure!” She grabbed for the glass and held it to her chest.  “And you’re…” Her eyes were downcast.  “You’re not mad at me?”

“Mad at you?” Rin drew his brows down.  “Why would I be mad at you?”

“Last night you hiss-” she cut herself off. “Last night, when I was taking care of you, you only wanted Sousuke-kun, so you yelled at me.”

“I…yelled at you?” He blinked in surprise.  They bickered on occasion, but there was something about the way she’d said it.  He must have screamed at her.

“You told me to get out.” She swallowed, gripping the glass tighter.  “You only wanted Sousuke-kun.”

Sousuke…

“Where-”

“He’s downstairs,” Gou answered before he had a chance to ask.  “He wanted to stay in case you needed him again.”

“Needed him?” Rin asked and then an image of Sousuke appeared in his mind’s eye.  The taller man was on his back, looking up at Rin with concern, no, worry.  But Rin looked away from his face, his eyes zeroing in on the brunet’s neck.  He could practically hear his pulse.  See the vein throbbing.  He wanted it. Needed it.  He bent down, his mouth open wide.

So…thirsty…

“Onii-chan?” Gou’s voice broke him from his thoughts.

“Y-Yes?” He looked at her, feeling his cheeks burn.  Actually, his whole body felt hot.  Maybe he’d taken his medicine too late.  Was his fever coming back already?

“Would you like me to go get him?” she asked and Rin nodded.  He suddenly felt very tired and so, so thirsty.  “Be right back,” she promised and walked out of the bedroom.

Rin was floating again.  He wasn’t sure when he’d fallen back asleep, but he must have because he was having the dream again.  The inky, blue green water. The shadowy creature in his peripheral. And…

He looked up. There was Sousuke, struggling to swim toward him again, bubbles all around him, restricting him, stealing his breath away.  A single drop of blood fell from Sousuke’s lips, floating down to hover just in front of Rin’s face again.

He didn’t touch it this time.  He knew what would happen.  Instead, he cupped his hands around it, keeping it safe as he brought it closer to his mouth.

Thirsty…

So…thirsty…

He needed it.  He opened his mouth and brought the drop to his tongue, savoring the metallic taste and wanting more.  The creature beside him was gone.  Rin looked up, his eyes feeling hot as he stared at Sousuke.  He floated up toward him, hands reaching out to hold the other’s head still. 

Sousuke stopped struggling.  The bubbles disappeared.

“Rin…” he croaked, looking like he’d lose consciousness at any moment.

“Sousuke…” Rin caressed his face lovingly. “You came for me…” He pulled him closer, hugging him tightly as he buried his face in Sousuke’s shoulder.  “You came…” He closed his eyes and felt the steady beating of the brunet’s heart, his pulse practically drumming against Rin’s cheek.  He turned and nuzzled Sousuke’s neck.

Thirsty…

“Rin…” Sousuke said, his voice tinged with something akin to fear.  “Rin!” He begged, trying to pull away, but Rin held firm.  He just wanted a little.  Needed it.  That drop had tasted so delicious. But it wasn't enough. Just a little more.  He opened his mouth wide and bit down. “F-Fuck!”

Rin’s mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood.  His eyes snapped open and he gasped, tearing his mouth away from Sousuke’s hand. The taller man pulled it away.

“Sou…” Rin began, but stopped when blood poured out of his mouth, dribbling down his chin and staining the blanket around his waist.  “Sousuke…what’s…what’s happening?” He looked up, eyes wide. He felt panic grip his chest.  He’d bitten Sousuke.  Sousuke was bleeding.

“Rin, it’s okay.” Sousuke set the glass of water he’d brought down on the nightstand and held his bloody hand toward the redhead’s mouth.  “It’s okay.” He repeated, cerulean eyes soft, now that he was over his initial shock.  “Take all you need.”

“Take…?” Rin was scared.  He didn’t know what was happening.  But when he looked at the blood before him, oozing from the wound he’d inflicted, he felt a strange burning in his throat, travelling down to his belly.  He was thirsty.  No, it was more like hunger.  “I…I can?” He glanced up at Sousuke and the taller man nodded.

“Whenever you need it,” Sousuke confirmed.

Rin’s eyes drifted back to the hand, watching as rivulets of blood dripped down the long fingers before falling to the blanket with a soft plop.  It smelled good.  Sousuke smelled good.  He reached forward, gripping Sousuke’s wrist as he took two of the fingers into his mouth, sucking on them and licking them clean.  He felt Sousuke flinch, but, when the other man didn’t say anything, he kept going.

Sousuke tasted delicious.  There was the underling metallic taste, of course, but his blood tasted like cola and meat and all his favorite things.  Maybe that sounded strange, that combination, but it tasted wonderful to Rin.

He slipped those fingers out of his mouth and moved to the next two, repeating the process, providing gentle suction until they were blood-free.  Then he took Sousuke’s thumb into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip and looking up at his best friend, amazed at how dark Sousuke’s eyes had become.

He wanted more of him.  All of him.  He wanted to taste his entire body.  He wanted all of him inside him.  His blood,  His fingers.  He wanted him in ways he didn't quite understand.  And with the way Sousuke was looking at him, eyes clouded, Rin felt a stirring between his legs.  A different kind of hunger.

“Rin…” he breathed, taking shallow breaths, pulling Rin from his new desires and bringing his attention back to his hand.

“Sou…” Rin echoed and finally moved to the bite.  It wasn’t that deep, but he’d hit a vein, so blood was still gushing out.  He licked at it, drinking greedily and, when he pulled away, the cut was gone.  The skin was pink, but fully healed.  “Thank you.” He smiled up at Sousuke.

“You’re-” Sousuke gripped his head as he pitched forward, nearly falling onto the bed.

“Sousuke!” Rin reached out to hold him, amazed at how light the other felt.  “Are you okay?”

“Just…a little weak.” He gave a strained smile.  “She said I might get like this.”

“She?” Rin furrowed his brow.

“Your mom, she-” Sousuke nearly fell over again.

“Here. You should lie down.” Rin stood up and helped the other onto the bed.  Sousuke closed his eyes the moment his head hit the pillow.  “I’ll just go downstairs and get you-”

“No!” Sousuke grabbed his wrist, stopping him.  “Don’t go…”

“Sousuke-”

“Don’t leave me, Rin.” His cerulean eyes were glazed over.  “Don’t leave us.”

Rin sighed and crouched down beside the bed, prying his wrist from Sousuke’s hold and then lacing their fingers.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise me.” Sousuke breathed, squeezing his hand tight.

Rin felt his cheeks heat up.

“I promise.”

After that, Sousuke closed his eyes again and drifted off to sleep.  Rin looked down at their joined hands.  Only moments ago, Sousuke's hand was bleeding, torn open by Rin’s teeth.  And now it was healed, the skin fresh and smooth.

How was Sousuke healed?  And why did Rin drink his blood?  What was wrong with him?  What was he?  And why wasn’t Sousuke surprised?

“What’s…going on?” He asked no one in particular.  He felt tired again and crawled onto the mattress.  He snuggled up to Sousuke, never letting go of his hand as he tucked his head under the other’s chin.  He was surrounded by the brunet’s scent and it calmed him.  He heard the steady beating of the other’s heart and let it lull him to sleep.

Rin was having the dream again.  He was getting used to the feeling of floating beneath the sea.  He no longer thought about needing to breathe.  And when the creature swam up to him, he didn’t hesitate to reach out to it.  The merman – or shark, or whatever it was – smiled at him, his red eyes glowing in the dark, murky water.  Rin felt warmth behind his eyes as they too began to glow.

“Welcome home.” The creature said and Rin understood.  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Who are you?” Rin asked, eyes trailing down to take in the creature’s shark tail.  It was long and powerful-looking, swishing back and forth in the water, the tips of its fins were black and the underside was a pale gray.

“I’m-”

“Rin!”

He heard his name being called again.  He looked up and saw Sousuke.  He smiled.  Sousuke was always trying so hard to save him.  Didn’t he realize that he was home?  This is where he belonged.

“Sou…you don’t have to worry,” he said.  But Sousuke shook his head and continued swimming toward him, fighting the bubbles that seemed to hold him back.

“Rin, don’t leave me.” He called, choking as the water threatened to suffocate him.  “You promised!”

“Sousuke, I-”

“You promised!”

Rin awoke with a start.  His face was pushed up against dark fabric.  For a moment, he thought he was safe in Sousuke’s arms.  But, when he pulled away, he found he was only clutching his pillow.

He let out a frustrated sigh.  Where was he?  Did he go downstairs?  Was he getting Rin more water? He hadn’t left had he?

Rin felt a sudden chill, icy fingers gripping at his heart at the thought of Sousuke leaving him.

But he wouldn’t.  Sousuke had come for him.  Sousuke had let him…

Rin shuddered at the memory.  Heat pooling in his stomach as he remembered the look in Sousuke’s eyes, dark and clouded, as he offered his bleeding hand to Rin.

And he’d tasted so good.  So very good…

But maybe he’d scared Sousuke off.  Maybe he didn’t like the fact that his best friend drank blood now.  Whatever that was about.

He heard voices.  One was unmistakably Sousuke’s, deep and calming.  Rin closed his eyes and let the deep tenor of his best friend’s voice ease the tension in his chest.  Another voice was Gou’s, high and panicked.  No, not panicked, but…worried?  The third was his mother’s.

What was his mother doing home?  Had Sousuke told her about what Rin had done?  How he’d sucked the taller man’s blood until he was woozy and nearly passed out on his bed?

But then Rin suddenly remembered what Sousuke had said.

_“She said I might get like this.”_

Did his mother know what was going on?  Did she already know he would bite Sousuke?  Did she know he’d more than likely done it before?  And what about the dreams?  Did she know anything about that?

If his mother had answers, he wanted to hear them.

He got out of bed and stepped into the hallway making his way over to the stairs.

“You can’t keep doing that, Sousuke-kun.” It was Gou. “What if you-”

“I’ll be fine,” Sousuke snapped back and Rin winced just from hearing it.  He could only imagine how fierce the brunet looked.  “Listen,” his voice was softer now.  “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep him here.”

“You can’t let him, Mother,” Gou’s voice was pleading.  “There has to be another way.”

“There is no other way.” His mother sounded grave.  “In order to keep Rin home, Sousuke-kun has voluntarily offered his blood. Please respect his decision.”

“But…Sousuke-kun…” Gou sniffled.  “He’s already drank from you twice. What if…what if he needs more? You can’t possibly-”

“I’ll give until there’s nothing left.”

Rin’s widened, an image of a pale Sousuke before him, just a husk of his former self, completely drained because of the redhead’s thirst.  His stupid hunger.  What was wrong with him?  What was he? Why was this happening?

“It’s worse now because it’s his first Call,” his mother explained.  “Soon he won’t need to feed quite so often.”

First Call?  Feed?  He’d need to feed more?  On Sousuke?

“And I’ll be there whenever he needs me,” Sousuke swore.  “I won’t let it take him from us.”

“Let what take me?” Rin said, finally having enough of being talked about.

“Rin!” His mother and Sousuke gasped at the same time, shooting up from their seats around the kitchen table.  Gou remained seated, her face pale and her eyes wet.  She wouldn’t even look at him.

“What’s trying to take me? Why am I having these dreams? Why-” he cut himself off with a sob.  He wanted answers.  He wanted to go back to how things were.  They had prefecturals coming up.  He should be practicing, not fighting a Call or whatever and sucking his best friend’s blood.  “What…what’s wrong with me?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Sweetie.” His mother walked over to him.  “You’re just going through a few changes and-” she reached out to him, but he hissed at her, swiping at her with his nails.  He gasped and held his hand to his chest. 

“Mom, I’m sorry, I’m-” He brought his other hand to his head, suddenly feeling dizzy.  The room was starting to spin and he felt heat pooling in his stomach, creeping up his chest and neck. It was happening again.  His head was throbbing and the dream…it was right in front of him.

He could still see his mother, sister, and Sousuke, but they were underwater with him.  He quickly turned, looking for the creature that always seemed to appear, red eyes glowing brightly and beckoning for him to come along.

Finally, Rin saw it, swimming in the distance, it’s eyes looking like a stop light on a foggy night, blurry and distorted because of the murky water.  It called to him in that strange language again.  He swam after it, wanting an answer.  If his family wouldn’t tell him what was wrong with him, maybe the creature would.

He pushed past something and felt the water turn cold.  He shivered, but pressed on.  He needed to keep going.  To keep moving forward.  The creature had answers.  The creature would take him home.

Rin stopped when he felt something wrap around him tightly.  He growled and thrashed against it, but it wouldn’t budge.  He heard voices shouting, muffled by the water.

“Hold him!”

“Don’t let him go, Sousuke-kun!”

“Rin!”

The last voice was Sousuke’s.  Rin felt himself relax.

“Sou…suke…”

“Rin, don’t go.” His voice was right by his ear, the bands around him – Sousuke’s arms – tightening their hold.  “Stay with us. Stay with me.”

That’s right.  He promised he’d stay.  They would tell him what they knew.  They had to.

His eyelids felt heavy as the water began swirling around him, making everything blurry.  He saw his front porch beneath his feet and the door to his house open behind him.  The cold February wind whipped at his face.

He glanced back up at the shark man in the distance, the glowing red of his eyes fading as he backed away, still calling out to Rin, but not loud enough to hear over Sousuke’s gentle words against the redhead’s ear.

“I’m sorry…” He said to the creature, tears filling his eyes.  “I’m so sorry…Dad.”

And then everything went dark.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Though, not much happened. 
> 
> I definitely want to write more in this universe. Maybe even just vignettes. I have this scene planned with Sousuke and Rin at the beach at night, water up to their knees, both of them soaking wet and crying. "Don't stop me. I'm going home!" - "But this _is_ your home! You said _I_ was your home!" or something cheesy like that.
> 
> Let me know what you think and hit me up on [tumblr](http://jubesy.tumblr.com/)~


End file.
